This Day, We Fight!
by LegolasLover2003
Summary: A short story taken from scenes from the trailer for, Return of The King. Mostly Legolas related, though a lot of Aragorn as well. I explain my views of the trailer in an AN at the end.


  
  


This Day, We Fight!

  
  


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Bodies were strewn all about the battlefield. A stench of death rose to assault the Elf's senses, but he paid it little mind. He was in the midst of war, fighting for the fate of Middle-earth. The Pelennor Fields were to see great achievements for the world of Men on this day. 

The clash of an Easterling's sword against his own daggers brought the archer out of his thoughts. Focusing on the task at hand, Legolas thrust out with his own blade, catching his foe unawares and running him through. So much death filled the air about him that the prince wondered if any good would survive to reclaim the lands from Sauron's dark might.

'Hurry, Frodo.' Legolas thought, decapitating an Orc in one swift movement.

  
  


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"A long road presents itself before us." Aragorn sighed wearily. "I am glad you have stood with me thus far, mellon nin."

Legolas smiled, his hood pulled over his head, hiding his fair Elven features. The two warriors stood within the open air of Rohan. They had recently, just earlier that day, brought an end to the iron fist of Saruman. Now, night settled and, as the companions kept watch, the camp slept in peace not far away.

"I would follow you to the end, Aragorn. You know this."

The man smiled in reply. "I still thank you for your faith, Legolas."

Suddenly, a darkness descended upon the Elf, filling his heart with dread and shear terror. Aragorn took notice of this and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Man cenich?" the man asked, believing his friend saw something in the moon's faint light.

Legolas' Elven glow dimmed to nothing as his eyes searched out past the fields and mountains beyond.

"The eye of the enemy is moving..." he whispered, confusion set in the Elf's face.

Aragorn was silent, watching the prince intently. Within a few moments, Legolas' eyes widened in fear, looking quickly to the man at his side.

"He is here!"

As Aragorn and the Elf locked eyes, Legolas' gaze moved past the man before him. It came to rest in the exact direction of the camp they had left only moments ago.

"Oh no..." the archer breathed, quickly running back toward the temporary camp. 

He stopped short however, Aragorn behind him. Both took in th sight which greeted them.

Pippin lay unconscious upon the ground, the Palantiri from Isengard at his side.

  
  


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Legolas' dagger found Southron flesh as his blades danced in a furious waltz of life and death.

Pippin had more than likely bought Frodo time by his unknowing diversion. Yet now a large host of Mordor was besieging the Gondorian city of Minas Tirith. The Elf now fought for that city. 

Not too far away, he could see Aragorn, clad as the King of Men, engaged in his own fierce battle. War had a way of changing people. It certainly had with Aragorn.

  
  


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"I will go with you, Aragorn. Elves do not fear the ghosts of men." Legolas pledged, his faith laying completely in the man's hands.

Gimli on the other hand, was a tad more nervous than he voiced. The Elf could see it, but said nothing. Injuring the Dwarf's pride outside such a terror filled place would do no one good.

Aragorn smiled, "Hannad le, mellon nin." he whispered before looking to Gimli. "Are you to accompany us, Master Dwarf?"

"Of course." The small being said, his hand immediately resting upon the edge of his axe. "We have been through too much for me to turn back now."

"Very well then." The man replied, turning and looking at the large gaping pass before them. 

It was narrow and Aragorn feared to take the horses into such a confined space. Nodding to Legolas, the Elf walked back to Arod and Brego, the faithful mounts of the three companions, and smiled. He spoke soft words to the beasts in the Sindarin tongue, wishing them well and ordering that they return to the Golden Halls of Theoden.

The horses hesitated for a moment, then complied. Legolas took from them the group's meager supplies and bade them farewell. Returning to Aragorn's side, the Elf smiled.

"We should continue on then." he said, his spirits as light hearted as ever.

Aragorn shook his head, shouldering one of the packs which Legolas held. "Your calm demeanor in the face of danger will always surprise me, mellon nin." 

Quickly the man lit a torch and looked at the yawning opening of the pass. Within it were embedded the skulls of mortals, a sure sign that danger lay just beyond. However, with the courage of Gimli, the faith of Legolas, and something within his own being... hope perhaps, Aragorn lead the way through.

"This is a dark place." Gimli whispered.

The three companions journeyed through the very heart of terror, at least for mortals. The Paths of the Dead were fabled in every race and had become the thing of nightmares for many small children. Bones littered the ground and covered the walls, making it hard to navigate. Aragorn held a torch before him, brushing away the webs of spiders as they walked. 

Legolas' keen sight caused him to freeze, laying a stopping hand on the man's shoulder.

"They are here."

Aragorn nodded, passing his torch off to Gimli and drawing his sword. Anduril, the newly forged blade of the king, rang as it was brought forth from it's scabbard. Silence filled the pass, nothing moving, no one stirring, complete and utter silence.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. I am the heir to the Throne of Gondor, the heir or Isildur himself. Show yourself to me! Harken to me!" 

The three waited in silence.

  
  


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The ground shook as the beast drew ever nearer. Legolas hated the thought of killing such a magnificent creature. After all, it had not been the mumakil's fault that it was breed for war. Fitting an arrow to the string of his bow, the Elf took aim, his shot flying true. The arrow pierced through the heart of the oliphant's Haradrim archer. Quickly, Legolas grabbed hold of one of the ropes dangling from the creature's side. Scaling the thick grey hide of the animal, the prince leapt atop the beast's battlement, slicing through the throat of his rider. The Elf fit another arrow to his bow, aiming down toward the soft spot atop the oliphant's neck. Legolas said a prayer for the poor beast before letting his arrow fly.

Too many of the innocent creations of Eru had been either enslaved by evil minds or destroyed. Legolas felt the same pang of guilt and anguish in his heart now, as he had felt at the sight of Isengard.

  
  


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"The glory of Fangorn..." Legolas sighed, his expression aloof and content. "What I would not give to spend the season under that forest's branches."

"If times were happier..." Aragorn stated, riding alongside the Elf, "I would be tempted to join you."

The prince smiled, "And what of you, Gimli? Would you stay with us in the beauty of Fangorn forest?"

"Me?!" huffed the Dwarf from his seat behind the Elven archer, "I would rather sleep within the sparkling mountains of Helm's Deep. The Glittering Caves is where I would go were times better than they are now."

"Dwarves and their caves..." Legolas whispered, shaking his head.

But Gimli responded in turn, "Elves and their forests."

Aragorn laughed as the company, including Gandalf, King Theoden, Eomer, and many Rohan soldiers rode toward their current destination... The Tower of Orthanc... Isengard.

"I think that Gimli needs to be..." but Legolas' voice trailed off as his eyes saw the sight before him.

The Dwarf grumbled something, poking the Elf in the side. "You think I need?" he prompted, trying to get his friend to finish the sentence.

Tears formed in the prince's eyes and a sad sigh escaped him. Aragorn looked to Elf, sorrowful and knowing how the sight hurt him deeply. Peering around the archer's body, Gimli too got a good eyeful of what his friend saw.

Legolas' expression went from joyous to grief filled as he started out upon the destruction which Saruman wrought in the outlaying lands of Isengard. The trees, torn form the ground, their roots sticking up through the parched soil at odd angles. Everything looked as if death had descended upon it. An entire section of forest, completely wiped away.

Aragorn put a hand on the Elf's shoulder, knowing his friend's connection with the natural beauty of the world ran deep. "Legolas, I am sorry."

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before nodding and continuing on after the others. "As am I."

Hatred for the white wizard of Isengard, boiled in the Elven prince's veins.

  
  


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An Elven arrow pierced the throat of a Goblin to Legolas' right. He was quickly running low on ammunition, though the fighting had lessened in his area. Looking back over to Aragorn, the Elf marveled at how the man never seemed to lose hope. Even in the darkest times of despair, when all was thought to have been lost, Estel remained.

  
  


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"I have failed." 

The Ranger sank to his knees, sunlight glinting off his features. Moments ago the three companions had left The Paths of the Dead, only to be confronted by the sun's golden rays. Legolas loved the feel of it upon his face, but he knew the despair which had settled deep within his friend's heart.

"You did you best, Estel." The Elf said, putting a comforting hand on the man's shoulder. "You could not have done anything different."

Aragorn's eyes were closed in shame. He had failed. Not only was the prophecy completely destroyed, but now there was no army to aid him in his plight to help Gondor. It was over. Middle-earth would perish and it was all his fault.

"I am too weak to be a king." he whispered, his hands clenched in fists before him.

Suddenly however, a wind chilled the air, causing Legolas to look back toward the pass with a start. The Elf's eyes widened, not in horror but in hope. Gimli took a few steps back, the presence of such terror striking him with unimaginable fear. 

"Aragorn..." Legolas whispered, directing the man's gaze up to him. The Elf nodded his head toward the pass, "Look, mellon nin."

Quickly the Ranger turned, standing as he did so. He smiled, the prophecy having not been broken. Behind the three companions, was an army of the dead.

  
  


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Hope always remained, as long as there was someone to carry it. Now, Aragorn and his companions carried the hope of all the world upon their shoulders. Legolas cringed at the notion. And here he had thought being a Prince of Mirkwood was burden enough.

Turning swiftly, one of the Elf's white handled daggers found it's way into the chest of the nearest enemy. There were so many, as if a new flood of aggressors had marched upon the field to assault the already battle weary warriors. Legolas' mind whirled. So much was happening that he found it hard to keep his enemies straight. He killed one, turned and another was upon him. That one fell as well, but another came to take it's place. The battle was a never ending wave of horrors which rose and fell like the tides. 

  
  


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Legolas sighed. He was weary and the battle seemed to be never ending. With every swing of his daggers he felt his strength ebbing. Long into the day they had fought and it still looked as if neither side would be victorious. 

Suddenly, out of the corner of the Elf's eye, he saw Aragorn. The man was concentrated on a frontal assault by a pair of Easterlings. What the Ranger could not see however, was the large troll rushing up behind him.

"ARAGORN!" Legolas called out over the din of battle. 

But the man could not hear him.

Quickly and with a speed his enemies marveled at, Legolas struck down the Orcs blocking his path to the soon-to-be King of Gondor. Slashing with all his might at the obstacles in his way, Legolas feared he would not reach his closest friend in time.

However, a break in the fighting before him allowed the Elf the precious few seconds he needed as quickly he ran into Aragorn, shoving the man hard out of the way. The Ranger's sword pierced the skull of one of his attackers as he was jarred from his fighting position.

Legolas looked up and, as if in slow motion, the club of the troll before him came crashing down. The Elf felt his body lift from the ground and fly feet into the air as he was batted aside. Falling atop his right arm, Legolas let out a cry of pain as he felt something snap beneath him.

"Legolas!" Aragorn called, rushing to the aid of his fallen friend. Helping the Elf stand on shaky feet, they retreated from the heat of battle.

  
  


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Pain brought Legolas back to his senses and he cried out. Another snap echoed through his mind, though this one was less painful than the first. Opening his tightly shut eyes, the Elf looked above him to find Aragorn.

"Estel, what happened?" he asked, pain glazing his eyes.

The man smiled down at his friend, "You saved me." he simply said.

"I do not understand. Where are we?"

"The House of Healing within Minas Tirith." Aragorn answered, wrapping the Elf's wounded arm in a clean white bandage.

Legolas sat up, ignoring the pain that he received in the process. "Then the battle is won?"

"For now." another voice spoke.

Turning, the prince found it was Gandalf who had entered. 

"You are very lucky, young Legolas. Only Eomer, Imrahil, and Aragorn remained unscathed in that bloody battle." 

The Elf blinked a few times, his mind having a hard time registering that even Mithrandir himself had been injured. "Is everyone alright?" he asked tentatively.

"More or less..." Aragorn replied, "Gimli suffered a nasty head wound, but he should be fine. Eowyn and Merry," before Legolas could say anything about this the man smiled, "Are healing nicely from their bout with the Witchking. Faramir fares much better and, as you know, Pippin did not ride out to battle."

"He had his own troubles here." Gandalf replied.

Legolas sighed, glad that no one had been seriously hurt. 

"Wait, what of King Theoden?"

Both Aragorn and the Istari glanced at one another. The man shook his head Knowing exactly what his friend meant, Legolas closed his eyes in a moment of silence for the fallen king.

  
  


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"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Eomer stated, walking a few paces toward Aragorn.

Legolas listened intently, his left hand cradling his right elbow. The same elbow which had become horribly damaged during the battle of the Pelennor Fields just days before. Gimli sat atop the Steward's chair, within the throne room of Minas Tirith's palace, smoking his pipe. Even Gandalf was present, though he was lax to make any comments.

"If not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo a chance." Aragorn replied. "It is this world's only hope."

Eomer was silent then, knowing that the new King of Gondor had already made up his mind as to the next tactics in this war. 

"You helped the people of Rohan, so we shall aid you, Aragorn. What would you have us do?"

There was a moment where all assembled dreaded to hear the words they knew were coming. Yet each and every one of the people present could not deny their truth.

Aragorn sighed, hope shining in his eyes. "We shall march upon the land of Mordor itself." 

  
  


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Legolas rode behind Aragorn, giving the man the room he knew he needed. His friend was still letting the events of the past few days sink in. They were heading to the one place in Middle-earth where death was sure to follow them.

Thousands of warriors were assembled before the black gate of Mordor. Every last soldier able to bear arms waited. They hailed from Pelegir, Rohan, and Gondor itself. Now was the time when the courage of men would be put to the test. Aragorn knew this. He also knew that, without a strong leader, the world would fall into darkness.

Riding up and down the line, the former Ranger rallied the men before him. Legolas, atop his white horse, watched in fascination. War for mortals was certainly different than war to the race of Elves. He smiled, knowing that Aragorn would lead them to victory, he was sure of it.

"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me!" he cried out to the thousands before him. "A day may come when the courage of men fails! When we forsake out friends and break all bounds of fellowship! But it is not this day!" the man smiled, his words striking the hearts of everyone assembled. "This day, we fight!"

A cheer rose up from the crowd, so loud that the advancing armies of Mordor cringed at the sound. 

Aragorn quickly turned his horse, leading the armies of men. Legolas followed him, knowing that now was the time to stand and fight.

The last force against Sauron charged ahead into the biggest battle Middle-earth had ever seen and was likely to ever see again. 

  
  


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THE END !

  
  


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Disclaimer: 

I do not own anything "Lord of the Rings" related.

  
  


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Elvish - English:

Mellon nin - My friend

Estel - Hope / Also one of Aragorn's names

Man cenich? - What do you see?

Hannad le - Thank you.

  
  


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Author's Note:

Okay, most of this stuff came from the trailer and was put into use for my own ideas.

Every scene I used from the trailer had Legolas in it in one way or another. I shall explain my thoughts on each.

  
  


1.) Legolas hooded and speaking with Aragorn in the darkness - My thought is that they had just left Isengard and the reason Legolas had such a confused look, then a frightened one, was because suddenly Sauron's eye looked toward them. In my opinion, this was when Pippin looked into the Palatiri for the first time.

2.) Legolas' sad expression on horseback - Why else would an Elf get that look except when he comes upon great destruction. I took this to mean that he was saddened by the tearing up of the forests around Isengard.

3.) Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and their horses before The Paths of the Dead - They're about to enter. Self explanatory.

4.) Legolas and Aragorn inside The Paths of the Dead - This was where they were traveling through. Possibly sensing something.

5.) Aragorn falling to his knees with Legolas behind him - He feels like he has failed to gather the army of dead after passing through The Paths of the Dead.

6.) Legolas scaling the side of the oliphant - Self explanatory.

7.) Legolas shooting an arrow - Self explanatory.

8.) Legolas in the midst of battle yelling to someone - I have determined that he is either yelling, "NO!" or "ARAGORN!" since the 'O' shape of his mouth seems to mean that he's yelling something with that vowel involved.

9.) Legolas, Eomer, Gimli, Aragorn, and Gandalf within the throne room in Minas Tirith's palace - They're discussing plans, easy enough.

10.) Legolas riding behind Aragorn - Aragorn's dressed in the armor of Gondor so I'm believing this is on the way to Mordor.

11.) Aragorn's speech to the masses - Legolas is shown but only briefly and from far away. If you look closely behind Aragorn at the end, you see the Black Gate of Mordor, hence why I thought it belonged there.

  
  


The stuff about Legolas and everyone save for Aragorn, Imrahil, and Eomer getting hurt was straight out of the books. It stated that those three remained unscathed. So, I had the troll attack Aragorn, Legolas save him, and boom... the Elf has an injury. I also added the scene with killing the Southron, the Easterling, and decapitating the Orc. 

There is also some stuff in there which was added by me, no duh. So, I hope you enjoyed it.

  
  


Laters!

  
  
  
  
  
  



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